“WASTE INTO PLACE” – !!
on Dec 26, 27 & 28th, 2011 – MATT BUA will be constructing “simple warm shelters out of scrap with kids (of all ages)”
from 2-5 pm each day at the NEW YORK HALL of SCIENCE in QUEENS – “COME OUT & BUILD” !!
he’s got some “concept sketches” up on his blog, which is worth a rainy day ramble !!
OCCU-PODS -“Learn how to put your waste to work – construct domes or wigwam frames and insulate them with lost and found clothing – to create a comfortable outdoor dwelling”.
SKETCHES COURTESY: MATT BUA
* * * THE CATAMOUNT PEOPLE’S MUSEUM – in the CATSKILLS / UP-STATE NEW YORK * * *
MATT BUA: THE CATAMOUNT PEOPLE’S MUSEUM, N.Y.
AS WELL: one of the most interesting projects, to highlight just one, to be found on MATT BUA’S blog/journal/sketchbook – is the: CATAMOUNT PEOPLE’S MUSEUM !!
we actually made the opening celebration, back in AUGUST 9, 2010 – check here for the pix !!
* * * o.k. one last look at MATT BUA’s journal – “what’s there now” – at: bhomepark.blogspot.com * * *
~OCCU-POD BUILDING WORKSHOPS by MATT BUA |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 27th, 2011, 2:33pm
MERRY XMAS – FROM – MARVEL AGE – WORLD’S BEST-SELLING FAN MAGAZINE !!
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL – Issue No. 109 – FEBRUARY 1992 – COVER ARTIST: SERGIO ARAGONES
~DAY ONE |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 24th, 2011, 10:22pm
DAREDEVIL – VOL 1, Issue No. 209, AUGUST 1984 – Published by MARVEL COMICS GROUP. STAN LEE, Publisher – out of New York City, N.Y.
STAN LEE PRESENTS: DAREDEVIL, THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR!
this issue is titled: ‘BLAST FROM THE PAST’
ARTHUR BYRON COVER – writer
DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI – penciler
DANNY BULANADI – inker
JOE ROSEN – letterer
CHRISTIE SCHEELE – colorist
BOB BUDIANSKY – editor
JIM SHOOTER – editor-in-chief
what’s so remarkable about this issue, apart from the cover’s off-the-wall concept !! – is the fact that a young DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI was the artist/penciler !!
MAZZUCCHELLI’s style of realism was very fluid, very animated. very muscle-bound, very dramatic. the intensity was multiplied by his abrupt and diverse compositions, close-up cropping to extreme stage or wide shots. not to forget a framing ‘perspective’ that came out of nowhere, views from the top looking down, up from the street, and plain old (o.k. elevated) sideways, even from the character’s own perspective !! – head-to-toe on every page.
page from: DAREDEVIL ISSUE 209, AUGUST 1984 – DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI – PENCILER
DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI went onto become one of the genre’s most celebrated and influential artists. His work on Batman is considered the apex of the series, and from there his influence trickled down into the wider pop culture at large. Mazzucchelli then went onto various collaborations and independent projects, with his most recent independent publication being the widely popular and critically acclaimed graphic novel – ‘Asterios Polyp’.
see: DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI at the NYC book signing of ‘Asterios Polyp’, June 6, 2009
bye the way, just in case you are interested . . . in the world of traditional comic books,
this is what it means to be a ‘penciler’.
an ‘inker’ . . .
and a ‘colorist.’
~DAY TWO |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 23rd, 2011, 11:35pm
remarkable for its steely realism and street-level perspective . . .
SABLE – MARV WOLFMAN / BILL JAASKA / E.R. CRUZ
COVER ART by BILL JAASKA
FIRST COMICS – ISSUE #14 – APRIL 1989
$1.95 / $2.45 CANADA – FIRST COMICS PUBLISHED out of CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.
SABLE was published monthly.
the full page opener – was a classic Santa in the big city scene, again note the street level perspective. . . the dramatic composition, and way intense, vivid coloring. the snow falling is a great pictorial detail, as is the exquisite two-tone coloring, especially with regard to the gentleman on the right’s – trench coat !! not to forget the reflections in the plate glass hi-rise windows . . .
the standard use of ‘inking’ – of using a black outline – is subtle, but forceful, very even handed. contributing – a barely perceptive, but steely dimension – to the overall pictorial punch.
MARV WOLFMAN & CHERIE WILKERSON – writers
BILL JAASKA – penciller
E.R. CRUZ – inker
GARY FIELDS – letterer
JULIA LACQUEMENT – colorist
LAUREL FITCH – editor
. . . . “and the creatures were stirring.”
~DAY THREE |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 22nd, 2011, 11:01pm
THE SPECTRE – ISSUE #29
DC COMICS, NYC, NY – SEPT 1989 – PUBLISHED MONTHLY
US $1.50 / CAN $1.85 / UK 80p
GHOSTS in the MACHINE – PART SIX of SIX / MOENCH – ARTIS – GULA
DOUG MOENCH – WRITER
TOM ARTIS / TIM GULA – ARTISTS
JOHN COSTANZA – LETTERER
CARL GAFFORD – COLORIST
KEVON DOOLEY – ASST EDITOR
ANDREW HELFER – EDITOR
~DAY FOUR |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 21st, 2011, 10:00pm
sooo, instead of the usual art world low-down, how about – we give you a 5 DAYS til XMAS – COUNT DOWN !!
COMIC BOOK – STYLE !!
DAY FIVE:
SHURIKEN – ‘owari’
1986 / $1.50 / canada $2.25 / 4
SHURIKEN No. 4 NOV 1986 PUBLISHED BY VICTORY PRODUCTIONS, NORRISTOWN, PA (PENNSYLVANIA)
SHURIKEN (and all supporting characters) IS COPYRIGHT 1986 REGGIE BYERS.
PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
“Itte Irasshai!” – Reggie Byers
red snowflakes or martial arts fighting ‘darts’ – same diff. cry, baby !!
owari – “The End”.
~5 DAY CHRISTMAS COUNT-DOWN, DAY FIVE |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 20th, 2011, 11:44pm
I know it’s hard to find another site that lays it down so straight & so entertaining, but I’m toast(ed).
I need a break, art world-wise. so, check back soon.
in the meantime – cruise the archives – while they’re still up – and, for free.
just joking. calm down !!
though the Art Lovers Photos Archive, top right horizontal navigator bar, you might have noticed – is down, crashed – til I can come up with $500 – any bright ideas ? the last report on there – was the R. Crumb ‘Genesis’ opening – a few years back. it’s your loss, baby.
. . . GIVE ME – A BREAK !! . . .
ECLIPSE COMICS No 2 – An Introduction to the Big Delights of the Small Press!
GIANT-SIZE MINI COMICS. Published October 1986
cover illustration – DAVID STEINLICHT, 1986
GIANT-SIZE MINI COMICS published bi-monthly by Eclipse Comics Guerneville, California.
Editor: Catherine Yronwide.
Printed in the sunny state of Florida. (and that’s for real – no joke, that’s really what it says !!)
ohmygod !! am I telepathic, or what !!
look at the first page !! . . . . the title ? “THE BIG BREAK” !! – I need a break – get it ??!!!!!!!!!!
THE HIGHLY UNLIKELY ADVENTURES OF ……….. MIGHTYGUY
STORY & ART BY: TIM CORRIGAN
HEY, MIKE!! . . . . YAAAA!! – “THE BIG BREAK!” –
OH, WERE YOU ASLEEP, MIKE ? DID I WAKE YOU UP ?
WHAT TIME IS IT ?
IT’S FOUR A.M. ALREADY !
OH MY GOD !
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, FRED ? IT’S THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT !!
I’VE GOT WONDERFUL NEWS, MIKE ! I JUST KNEW YOU’D WANT TO HEAR THIS RIGHT AWAY !
YOU’RE MOVING TO TIBET ?! (!!)
~Give me a break !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 20th, 2011, 10:59pm
ALFREDO MARTINEZ, ‘Untitled’, 2011, mixed media, 35 x 17.5 ins.
HESH PRESENTS:
‘ALFREDO MARTINEZ: THE SITUATION IS CATASTROPHIC BUT NOT SERIOUS’
A ONE NIGHT ONLY – SOLO SHOW – THURSDAY, DEC 15, 2011 / 6-8 PM
WITH a SELECTION of WORKS on DISPLAY at the GALLERY – for the next 2 WEEKS . . .
LEONARD TOURNE GALLERY – 463 BROOME ST, BTWN MERCER & GREENE – SOHO, NYC
Hesh says its about 80% – brand new work, as evidenced . . . by the image above !! nice.
and p.s. is it just me – or does it have a nice clean-cut graphic, as opposed to painterly, almost even flat comic book quality to it, or what ?
real nice color job, too.
for some background, read: ‘RAW CHINA – ALFREDO MARTINEZ RETURNS’ by JOCK WEYLAND on VICE, posted “9 mos ago” !!
up-date: the opening was ‘downtown’ glam and fun. the works are lively and almost feel lighthearted. more colorful than Alfredo’s usual stock-in-trade they were many-hued . . . colored in with a wide range of paint markers that Daddy bought. you know, the kind you have to shake. guess he liked his write-up (!!) . . . pix to follow later – this weekend.
O.K. – not.
but for sure – tons of pix from the opening – going up right after Christmas Day !!
give me a break — it’s the holiday season . . .
~ALFREDO MARTINEZ |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 14th, 2011, 10:53pm
EZRA JOHNSON . . . has a sweet, fleeting, lyrical and ultimately very compelling, painterly to the extreme – low-fi animation looping in the FREIGHT+VOLUME project room. I can’t remember a sound track – but I remember standing motionless – as it kept turning unexpected corners. titled ‘Five Kinds of Light’ – it’s up through Jan 14, 2012.
it begins with a guitar player . . .
bathed in dramatic light – flickering between abstraction and substance.
then somehow you’ve found it’s become a pick-up truck and a group of people . . .
which morphs into a wonderful ‘cosmic’ tunnel . . . that becomes, train tracks. and it is suddenly, for the moment, sharp, and linear. . .
turning into . . . a stairway. to heaven ? or just a mosaic-like residence ? and lands . . . though not finally – in a courtyard surrounded by multiple dwellings, rising up around — a tree.
nice.
EZRA JOHNSON – ‘FIVE KINDS OF LIGHT’.
Dec 10, 2011 – Jan 14, 2012
FREIGHT+VOLUME
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
~EZRA JOHNSON |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 14th, 2011, 10:44pm
just back from the Miami Wars, I mean . . . Fairs – Nick Lawrence opens a ‘sleeper’ of a show !!
with no gallery time lost – this show jumps the new season gun.
‘SMILE’ proposes a thesis – but the paintings themselves . . . are anything but just concept . . there’s some serious power under that ‘Smile’ . . . I would say: stealth killer color field painting might – come close – to nailing it.
so, FILE UNDER: LETTERS, letters everywhere, from comic books to designer robot toys . . . here comes ERIK DEN BREEJEN !!
red rover red rover, let the color furious font men, come over !!
ERIK DEN BREEJEN – ‘SMILE’. big color field paintings – ‘illustrating the entire lyrics to the recently released Beach Boys’ magnum opus: ‘SMILE‘
opened Sat Dec 10, 2011
the show runs Dec 10, 2011 – Jan 14, 2012
FREIGHT+VOLUME – 530 WEST 24th St – CHELSEA, NY
yeah, check out the F+V website – they are currently featuring a really nice, quiet, and brief – but does the job !! small rotation of gallery – installation shots !!
ERIK DEN BREEJEN with FREIGHT+VOLUME founder/director NICK LAWRENCE . . . at the opening.
Erik’s painting: ‘Good Vibrations’ . . . behind them.
painter ERIK DEN BREEJEN at center. THORPE SHUTTLEWORTH at the left . . . INNA BABAEVA on the right.
the paintings were first and foremost color field paintings. though some might take issue and say the conceit: illustrating the entire lyrics to the recently released Beach Boys magnum opus, ‘SMILE’ – was what turned the trick.
and the man certainly knows how to run – with FONT !!
his painterly DIY font – had comic book ‘block’ calligraphy – by the hand.
but then the surfaces – also heaved and waved – just like . . . music ?
rose and waved out . . . just like classic Beach Boy harmony. classic, so teeny-bopper labelled, and yet so so fashion forward – we are only really getting the whole big picture, now.
this landmark or exhibit ‘title’ painting – actually incorporated the text – into its overall composition: ‘SMILE’, and not just its component brick bat – quickly paced, and boldly juxtaposed color text blocks.
HIBA SCHAHBAZ and MI JU are studio mates.
Hiba is a traditional miniature painter from Pakistan who is studying in the studio fine art graduate program at Pratt. Mi Ju who originally comes from Korea by way of San Francisco, currently lives and works in NYC. She will be having a show at FREIGHT +VOLUME next September.
close-up color block caption-like calligraphy and color block saturated hues – ERIK DEN BREEJEN – ‘SMILE’.
some of the color contrasts were very stark.
and even, extremely: black and white !!
others – were: POP !!
the capital block letters, the individual block unit words, and the contrasting or harmony building color hues – aggregated into waves – from different angles. combined with the frontal plane compositions . . . there was a sense of deep emotion behind the design, behind the concept.
according to the gallery press release, just like: sound waves in music. just like the field of emotions – in the song lyrics.
from left:
JULES De BALINCOURT, PETER SIMENSKY, and ZACK HARRIS.
Jules de Balincourt is a really wired, compelling and animated dynamo – in action. on canvas and in life !! never mind his recent blow-up on the auction charts. he told me I was an: info sponge. quelle right on. he got my number.
wow, for sure – I dug that !!
ERIK DEN BREEJEN: ‘GOOD GOOD VIBRATIONS’ . . .
file under: tragedy, just like ‘PET SOUNDS’ . . . way ahead of its time.
from the gallery liner (press release) notes:
“There is a dark side to the Beach Boys’ career, even though they were arguably one of the most popular bands of their time, producing songs which are just as warm, uplifting and California surf-invoking now as when they were written. ‘Good Vibrations’ broke new ground with its psychedelic overtones and by demonstrating the band’s ability to use the recording studio as an instrument. But many feel the band never lived up to its promise, and remained stuck in teenybopper cult status.”
to which I say – fie on them !! and no wonder Brian Wilson lost it. esp when the Beatles’ ‘Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band’ swept the Beach Boys’ ‘Good Vibrations’ – apparently – off the charts.
in retrospect – quelle sad loss. what a wrong . . . vote-off.
again from the press release: “Brian Wilson, already sinking into the quagmire of drug-induced paranoia and depression, never quite recovered from that displacement”.
displacement – what a powerful word, if you think about it. in a lot of ways, these paintings are about the ‘displacement’ – of words, as in their meanings – by the overall painting. the meanings taken over by the dance and bold steps of the hi=power contrasts of shifting letter colors, and the resultant aggregate color ‘hue’ fields . .
PETER GERAKARIS, and KRISTOF WICKMAN, both Hunter MFA alum – in front of ERIK DEN BREEJEN’S – ‘GOOD GOOD VIBRATIONS’.
MAXXX (!!) VON WILLMAN has a studio in Bushwick by way of San Fran(cisco) and even, if you stretch it – Marin County, back in the day . . . when Van Morrison ruled.
TRAVIS PRATT and F+V artist ANDREW GUENTHER.
SIMON CERIGO gave Andrew Guenther his very first show in NYC – back in the late 90s when Simon was the Director of the Daniel Silverstein Gallery, and Andrew was the – intern.
as artlovers sometimes music reviewer, Simon is also enjoying a ‘moment in the sun ‘ – his very first review for us in 2005 . . .
ANTONY and the JOHNSONS – are now playing RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL !!
(7 years later)
see: MOMA/THE MUSEUM of MODERN ART/NYC has commissioned ANTONY and THE JOHNSONS: SWANLIGHTS for a one night only performance at RADIO CITY HALL, NYC – this upcoming JAN 26, 2012.
but it was the little blue painting to the left – that really caught our attention . . .
“EVERY TIME I GET THE INSPIRATION TO GO CHANGE THINGS AROUND NO ONE WANTS TO HELP ME LOOK FOR PLACES WHERE NEW THINGS MIGHT BE FOUND” – THE BEACH BOYS by way of ERIK DEN BREEJEN.
painter MARIA CALANDRA, longtime GF/buddy of Erik’s – in front of his atypical – ‘POPULAR SESSION WORK SHEET’.
this particular large canvas – of color coded word blocks – was more typical, and than again not. being so ghostly and more diffused, over-all.
it had a striking ambiance, and broke down, into smaller almost cascading units – really well, too.
“VILLAINS and HEROES” – yes, I remember these Beach Boys lyrics – well.
“UNCOVER” . . . “UNCOVER”. you can see readily the almost comic book caption quality – of the hand painted block letter calligraphy.
though of course – its ultimately, way more: painterly.
I never really thought of this before, but aren’t painted lips – just like . . . letters ?
detail, ERIK DEN BREEJEN . . . “COLUMINATED RUINS . . . ”
“DOMINO” . . . !!
go back and check out – the overall – big picture.
just like dominoes – all falling down, one after the other.
ADAM HAGGIAG, JAMES KALM, and NICK LAWRENCE.
yes, JAMES KALM is the guy who rides around on his bike and videotapes many many Big Apple openings.
see: THE JAMES KALM REPORT
see: JAMES KALM & LOREN MUNK
see: JAMES KALM’S – YouTube Channel
STEVE JOHNSON. and, that little color intense still life veggie painting ? – by ERIK DEN BREEJEN. I told you he was a color field painter.
NICK LAWRENCE with F+V gallery artist – DAVID BASKIN.
from left:
F+V artist ANDREW GUENTHER, F+V intern HANNAH HINDS, Andrew’s friend DANIEL HEIDKAMP, and last but not least, PHILLIP DMOCHSKI, F+V Assistant Director.
MINE GOLD – just think on that !!
ANDREW GUENTHER shows us his new finger tattoo.
wow – everybody’s getting into the letters game !!
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH, NYC. DEC 10, 2011
~ERIK DEN BREEJEN opens ‘SMILE’ at FREIGHT+VOLUME |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 13th, 2011, 12:25pm
